


In Our Bedroom After the War

by Betterzoid



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: F/M, Glimbow, Glimbow Week 2020, Tumblr: Glimbow Week, cuddling/touch, mentions of them being kinda horny but they are just tooooo tired, very very background mentions of catradora
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:55:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26511025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Betterzoid/pseuds/Betterzoid
Summary: When the war is over, Glimmer and Bow take some much-needed rest in her old room. There are some things they still need to heal. There are some other *things* they really want to do. But they just fought the battle of a lifetime, and they are so very tired.Inspired by the included fan art.Written and drawn for Glimbow Week 2020 under the prompt 'cuddle/touch'.
Relationships: Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 101
Collections: Glimbow Week, Glimbow Week 2020





	In Our Bedroom After the War

**Author's Note:**

> Title and vague concept inspired by the song of the same name by Stars. 
> 
> Enjoy :)
> 
> See end notes for credits.

Glimmer sighed.

“It is so good to be home!”

Technically, they’d been home for over an hour. But they had spent that time clearing the castle of confused clones and re-fortifying its defences.

The Best Friend Squad and assorted princesses had finally been able to leave and get some space under the pretence of having a nap. They had left Glimmer’s dad, aunt and the Mystacor sorcerers to finish up. They really did need a nap. But it was also good to get some alone time.

While the rest of the princesses and Catra dispersed (the latter wrapped around a certain tall blonde), Glimmer grabbed Bow’s hand and pulled him down a secluded winding corridor. After they were out of earshot, she suddenly stopped them.

“Should we teleport or walk in non-magic style?” she asked.

There was an unspoken question between them about the sleeping arrangements for this proposed nap. One which she wasn’t quite game enough to voice.

“Definitely teleport, I’m exhausted.” answered Bow, “your room should have been cleared with the rest of them.” 

Well, she thought, that settled it. He was thinking of going to her room as well.

She grabbed his hand and grinned at him, disappearing them both in a cloud of sparkles.

However, as they _popped!_ intoher bedroom hand-in-hand, her smile fell.

A tense silence began to form between them as they took in their surroundings. How could she have been so stupid? This wasn’t just a place they could waltz into anymore. It, and its current state were an unfortunate reminder of everything that had happened before they were reunited. Something she had been too dazed to consider. 

Bow frowned as he looked around the room. There were several angry blast marks streaked across the walls and furniture. The bed that floated serenely above the floor appeared to have been shredded. Light bedding feathers had fallen around its silhouette like a deranged halo. He noticed fragments of what had once been colourful notes and drawings littering the ground. They were all singed around the edges.

It wasn’t as bad as it could have been. The side of the room with the daybed and window was largely untouched. And while some of the more personal items had clearly been smashed on the ground, many of the things on her shelves remained somewhat in their places. Still, there was a fair amount of damage. She couldn’t hide it, or what it meant. 

It was clear that this hadn’t been a Horde attack. This was the work of something a lot more personal.

“I uh- I had a bit of a freak out after you left?” said Glimmer, breaking the silence. She had tried to say it lightly, teasingly. 

It fell flat.

Bow made a loud swallowing sound, as though trying to push back an impulse to sob. 

“Mmhm,” he murmured, the break in his voice betraying his emotions. He continued staring intently at a series of scorch marks above her dresser. 

Glimmer couldn’t bare to see him like this. It had only been a day or since the battle against Horde Prime. They needed to rest, she needed, wanted desperately to be back in her home. No, _their_ home. She had to fix this.

Glimmer led the anxious archer over to the dresser that still held her spare clothing and, importantly, her pyjamas.

“I didn’t destroy everything,” she said, dropping his hand to open the second drawer, “there should be- ah! here we go!” 

She pulled out a soft purple sleep shirt and another pink one that was strategically cropped. 

“Ta-da!” She threw the pink shirt and a matching pair of shorts at Bow. They had always been his favourite spare pyjamas when they used to hold impromptu sleepovers. So much so that Glimmer had simply deferred to never wear them herself.

She thanked her lucky stars she hadn’t had the time to get rid of them when she was angry. 

Bow didn’t seem nearly as happy to see them. The look her gave her was intense, worry lines framing his face.

“ _Glimmer_ ,” he began, pained.

“No Bow, we’ve been over this,” said Glimmer shortly.

“I am so, _so_ sorry,” he whispered, tears in his eyes.

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” she insisted. “I messed up! You had every right to be angry!”

He had no right to be sorry. She was the one who should be full of guilt from what happened. She almost preferred when he was angry… Almost.

Bow took both of her hands in his. Their pyjamas dropped to the floor. 

“I should _never_ have left you alone. I should have stayed and fought for you.”

“Annnnd, we both know I wouldn’t have listened!” she added defensively. 

He was looking away from her now, deep in thought. His thumbs were stroking delicate circles across her hands and fingers. In that moment Glimmer realised just how tired he looked. More tired than she had ever seen him before. His worry lines had become more prominent, small wrinkles brought on by near-constant stress. There were dark bags under his beautiful eyes.

The more she looked at him the more tired she felt too. She had been feeling like near collapse all morning ever since the post-war and festivities adrenaline wore off. Every part of her still ached, every bone in her body felt like dead weight. She just wanted to go to bed, damnit! She just wanted them to enjoy being home!

“Look Bow-” she was being too snappy, she realised, it wasn’t his fault. She wanted to be mature, strong. Everything he needed her to be.

She took a moment to calm down.

“Bow...” yes that was better, “we already talked about this on Mara’s ship. We’re both tired, let’s just put away any more discussions about fault and regret for now and get some rest.” She bent down, clumsily gathering the clothing at their feet.

“Umm Glimmer,” began Bow, questioningly. She raised to face him, a small bundle of pyjamas now in her arms. 

“What?”

“Have you seen what you bed looks like?” he gestured towards the torn bedding and feathery mess.

“...Oh.” said Glimmer, “OH! I can fix it!” she said excitedly, “I learned a great spell to fix tears in fabric. It was meant for clothes, but… I think I can do this!” 

Glimmer practically bounced into action, attempting to sloppily draw a rune in the air and aim it up at the bed. When she shot it up towards the bed however, it disappeared in a small spray of sparks across the ceiling. Glimmer jumped back in surprise, but the sudden excitement and movement made her dizzy. She became unsteady on her feet and felt Bow’s arms wrapping securely around her to hold her steady. She really must be exhausted.

“Woah there, your majesty,” he teased, “Maaaybe you should rest before experimenting with any more spells.” 

Glimmer turned in his arms and was glad to see him smiling down at her. He looked concerned too, but she wanted to take a moment to focus on him being happy - not some regretful mope in a way that made her hate herself even more. She hugged him tighter and snuggled her face firmly into the middle of his chest.

“Mmmm, maybe you’re right.” came her muffled reply. 

Glimmer enjoyed the way his chest felt against her as he shook with laugher. She couldn’t help but laugh too. There was nothing remotely funny about what had transpired, but it felt as if the more they laughed, the more they warded off the tension that had followed them into the room. Like banishing demons, or watching the sun come up. 

Except now that she noticed it, the sun was in fact going down in the window above her day bed. Bow looked over at the window too as their laughter tittered out. They stared at the sunset as they clung to each other, mesmerised by the beauty of the bright pinks, oranges and purples that filled the dimming sky. They stayed like that for several moments.

“Let’s sleep on the daybed,” said Bow, breaking the silence.

“Like when I was glitching.” she added, extracting herself from his arms. 

“Yeah, or like the hundreds of other times you’d run out of magic and we were too tired to jump up the stairs.” he said, his smile betraying his pointed look. He was teasing her again. She was so glad they were back to that. 

“Okay, okay.” she relented, “maaaybe I should finally think about bringing the bed down.” 

“I would appreciate that,” said Bow. He paused, blushing slightly. “Especially if I’m, ya’ know, going to be spending a lot more time sleeping in here.” 

They were both looking intently at each other now, flushed with nerves. 

They had been sharing a bed on Mara’s ship. And, apart from some separation for appearances (which didn’t last the night, mind you) they had been sharing a camp bunk ever since. Of course, he would be sharing her bed. And with how, well… _heated_ their stolen moments together had been so far, she knew it wouldn’t only be for rest. 

Glimmer cleared her throat. 

But whatever she was going to say to break the silence never came, because before she knew it Bow was moving forward and leaning in to kiss her. One hand on her back, another grasping at her hair. She was kissing back, a kind of intense static tension was building between them. Like an electric current. Her hands wrapped around the back of his neck, pulling him closer, deeper. He was wrapped around her now. A warmth was pooling in both their stomachs, seeping lower and-

It was slowing, starting to dim. The feeling was getting further away from her as her brain seemed more and more stuffed with cotton wool. UGH she was _so tired_!  
  
She broke the kiss.

“Boooww,” she whined. “If I’m too tired to do magic then I’m too tired to, _you know_...”

Bow sighed. 

“You’re right. I feel like the living dead right now. A _definite_ mood killer.”

“Bed?” she asked. He nodded.

“Yeaah, bed,” he said in defeat. 

Glimmer dragged her beau (like Bow, haha! get it?... wow she really was tired) over to the daybed. They were about to crash when Bow reminded her about the pyjamas. 

“We’re never going to be able to relax like this,” he gestured between his armour and her queen regalia.

“Uggggh,” she groaned. Glimmer shuffled back towards where they came, and grabbed the nearest pyjama pieces off the floor, the two shirts she had picked out earlier. She threw one at Bow. 

He caught it and began stripping off his armour, undershirt and pants. Glimmer paused, distracted from beginning her own attempt at changing by a now half naked Bow, in nothing but his underwear.

He must have felt her staring at him, because he looked up from his fiddling with the pink shirt to meet her gaze. They were both blushing again now, but only slightly. There was something more intense flowing between them that was occupying any thoughts of embarrassment. His chest, and his legs, they were s _o_...

No. They were too tired for this.

"Sorry,” said Glimmer, trying to avert her eyes. 

“‘s okay” he proceeded to break their stare and pull the top over his head. “I can look away, if you want?” he seemed worried. 

This was silly, Glimmer thought. They’d seen each other like this before, not usually intentionally… but war was war, and two tired best friends sometimes didn’t get all their pyjamas on before falling into bed. 

“No!” oh no, had that sounded too pleading, like she wanting him to look at her? 

“It’s okay,” she added, “we’ve seen each other in our underwear before, Bow.”

“Yeah I know,” he countered, “but not since knowing how we feel, and stuff...”

“Well, we’d better get used to it,” Glimmer said with more confidence than she felt. Better to go for it right? “We might not be up to doing anything now, but just you wait mister. As soon as our energy is back we’re going to have a lot to say, _and_ do to each other.” 

Bow was smiling at her now, eyebrows raised. 

“Woah, down tiger.” he laughed. 

She was laughing too. 

She loved these interactions. She loved that their childish teasing had given way to moments of unabashed flirtation. There wasn’t anything to hide anymore. They knew where they stood, they knew how they felt. There was still hurt between them that only time could heal. But they had a whole wonderful lifetime to work that out now. And there was no reason they couldn’t kiss, and well... other stuff it out too. 

Wow, she really did need to calm down. 

Glimmer busied herself by getting undressed down to her underwear and slipping her own pyjama shirt over her top. 

She was keenly aware of him watching her out of the corner of his eyes as he folded his and then her discarded clothes. He had always had a neat streak, was always cleaning up after both of them. Still, she felt a warmth at his stolen glances. 

She undid her bra up under her shirt and unlooped her straps so she could add it to the pile. There was a special time for when Bow would get to see all of her like that, and now was not that time. 

“Sleep time,” Glimmer hopped onto the long day bed under the window, leaning back against the pile of feathery-soft pillows behind her. She reached out to grab Bows hand to pull him down to her. But he remained stuck where he was.

Something above her head had caught his eye. 

Glimmer shifted and followed his eyes. There, tucked and partially hidden behind one of her last surviving pink targets was a note from Bow. It was an older note, one that had been slipped carefully behind a target for her to find. Its placement may have been the only thing that saved it from destruction. 

There were no cute cartoons or fanfare with this note. It simply read:

_I’m sorry. Please forgive me. - Bow_

Unlike his usual method of pinning notes to her walls with arrows, this was stuck gently to the wall with a piece of tape.

Bow had only left one arrow for her to find that night, keenly aware that he would need all the supplies he could get. 

She felt him squeeze her hand.

“Bow, it’s okay... let’s not start this again.”

He was smiling sadly.

“Wait here, please?” he asked softly.

She watched as he found his now neatly folded pants and reached into a back pocket. From it he pulled a small piece of paper. Next, he moved to where he had discarded his bow and quiver and reached deep the latter, shifting his arrows to do so. From there he retrieved yet another sliver of paper and what appeared to be a tightly folded, lined page.  
  
“This should do it,” he said returning the larger piece to its original place.

Bow retrieved a role of tape from her desk and tore several small pieces to attach to the ends of his fingers for safe keeping. He finally returned to where she sat patiently on the daybed, a determined look in his eyes.

“I think we need some new memories to stick up on your wall,” He handed her the two notes. “But until we have time to write them, these will have to do.”

She looked down at the top piece to see a small cartoon drawing of her, Bow, Adora and Catra pulling silly, happy faces. Underneath in Bow’s writing were the letters _B.F.S._

She remembered seeing him writing that last night at camp as Catra tried to swat pens out of his hands. 

“I had made that to tease Catra about joining our squad. I waaaas going to leave it around for her as a gift. But maybe it would be better as a reminder for you here? I can always make more...” 

Glimmer smiled, tears beginning to appear in her eyes as she continued to stare at the little cartoon faces.

“Thanks, Bow.”

“We’re your family, y’ know?” 

She nodded.

“The other one is _little_ more personal...” he added.

She pulled the other note to the top and let out a small sob-giggle. 

There was a cartoonish Bow face, like he usually drew when he wanted her to know exactly who these notes were from (as though they could possibly be from anyone else). This ‘little Bow’ had hearts in his eyes. 

_I love you!_ It read.

“Aww Bow...”

“I know it’s cheesy, but I wrote it so I could find the right time to leave it around for you. In case you needed a reminder.” He was rubbing the back of his neck now, somehow blushing more than when they were ready to jump each other.

“I love it,” she said through tears. “I love _you_.”

“Yeah,” said Bow softly, relaxing under her gaze “I love you too, Glimmer.”

He took the notes from her and began sticking them haphazardly over the old note from his leaving her. Glimmer sat on the bed, wiping her eyes.

“I’m going to leave that old one up if that’s okay,” he said, thoughtfully. “It feels a little symbolic, like we’re not quite ready to pretend it never happened yet, if that makes sense?”

Glimmer nodded as she continued to regain her composure. 

“But I want you to know that I will never _ever_ leave you like that again. No matter how hard we fight Glimmer, even when I’m against you I’ll always fight for you.” 

He took her hands in his once more.

“Okay?”

She nodded.

“Yeah,” she replied, “me too.”

A silent, potent moment passed between them. 

“Bed?” he asked, indicating she should lay down.

“Yes, bed!” Finally.

Glimmer lay down on the bed and Bow shifted across her, pausing above her to sprinkle light kisses on her forehead, cheeks and lips. Glimmer giggled. Bow settled down beside her, face buried in her neck and arm wrapped protectively across her body as he spooned her side. Glimmer heard his breathing slowing. 

“Bow?” she asked quietly. She felt bad for bothering him, but she was curious about something and her mind was still going overtime. 

“...hmm?” came his reply, slow, breathy and muffled in her neck. 

“What was the other note? The one you put back in your quiver?” she asked.

There was a pause as Bow let out long, soft breath against her skin and shifted his mouth.

“’s a letter Glim... a special, sad letter.”

“Like a will?” she asked, afraid of his answer. 

“Mmm, kind of,” he said, sleepily. “It’s a ‘things I wanted to say’ letter. Ya’ know, in case I didn’ make it.”

She couldn’t cry again today, all her tears seemed spent. But moons, she was going to pull him closer, hold him tighter.

“Who was it for?”

She felt selfish, wondering whether it could have been for her. She was with him during that final battle. It was obviously for his family. His dads and his... twelve? siblings whom were still a mystery to her. She would have to ask him about them tomorrow...

“Tha’ one was for you,” he replied, yawning. “There’s ‘nother one for my dads ‘n’ one for Adora.” 

Glimmer was silent. What could she possibly say to that?

She hadn’t always had time to stop and think about how much the war had taken from them. Or, how much it had threatened to take still. Not while the next battle was still around the corner. Their childhoods had been shaped by it, their understanding of what was normal was warped by it. There was no reality where Bow, her wonderful, sweet Bow should ever have had to write a letter like that.

Still, she had to know. 

“What did it say?”

“Tell you what,” he sighed, nestling his face back into the crook of her neck once more. “T’morrow I can tell you… ’ll let you read it.” 

“Okay,” she said softly.

Bow’s breathing was slowing again, soft snores began sounding from the crook of her neck. She tried to relax herself.

She felt warm and protected, tucked in Bow’s arms. But no matter how hard she tried, or how tired she was, she couldn’t get her brain to turn off. She was so glad to be home, but there was still so much she couldn’t see past. Her room was still in disarray. And now that there was nothing left to fight she felt as though her mind was desperately trying to find new things to be afraid of. 

Her breathing quickened, she startled. Bow started shifting against her. 

No, she could get through this. Bow should rest.

She shut her eyes and concentrated on slowing her breathing. It was a futile attempt to calm herself into sleep, but at least for the moment it helped her relax enough to not wake Bow. 

She lay like that for what seemed like forever before a light and troubled sleep finally overtook her. 

In her dream she was running, always running. She was running for her life, running to save Bow and Adora. She was running from the laughter of Horde Prime. But like all the terrible dreams like this she’d had before, he always caught up with her. He made her lose her mind, or someone else’s mind while she watched on helplessly. Tonight, it was Bow who was being forced into the fluorescent pool, emerging stripped of any semblance of the person she loved. He was a blank slate. A blank, evil and murderous slate. She screamed. 

The haze began to clear, and Glimmer found herself being softly roused from a sleep she hadn’t been aware she was in. A pair of familiar, warm and calloused hands were gently stroking her face. 

She didn’t know how much time had passed when she finally opened her eyes, but the sun was gone, replaced by a clear sky full of stars. The room was dark. She was still panicking. She sent an orb of glittering light up towards the ceiling. 

“Glimmer?” Bow was sitting up beside her now, still drowsy but alert. And he was looking at her with concern.

She took another moment to slow her breathing. 

“It was just another nightmare, Bow. Sorry for waking you. You can go back to sleep.”

She tried to smile reassuringly at him, but he frowned in response. 

“Another nightmare from Prime’s ship?” he asked. 

Gllimmer nodded. 

“It’s like even though I know he’s gone; my brain just won’t believe it. I can’t believe that there isn’t a threat around every corner, or another battle to fight.” 

It was hard for her to admit that, to let Bow know that she wasn’t okay. She had been trying to be a rock for him since they’d been reunited on Prime’s ship. She wanted to support him through his feelings. She didn’t want to be asking him for more support than he could give.

“It’s okay, Glim. I get it.” said Bow sweetly, stroking her cheek. “It’s going to be hard to adjust to peacetime. We’ve spent our _whole lives_ surrounded by war.”

Glimmer leaned into his hand and placed her own over it gently, entwining their fingers together. She was still pale, still a little breathless, but she no longer felt under attack. 

Bow smiled and continued. 

“Just like the stars and the crazy amounts of magic that’s now woken up on Etheria, with time the quiet will become a part of our everyday. And over time, more and more, we’ll find moments of happiness so big and powerful that we’ll forget that we were ever that scared. We’ll never really forget what happened, or the people we’ve lost. But we will find new ways to live.”

He looked so confident, so sure. 

“But how do you know that?” she asked. 

“I know because I’ve found those moments before,” he explained, “like when you would do something adorable. Or, when Adora would do something ridiculous when she was just trying to be kind. Or all the sleepovers and stealing cake from the kitchen, and I got to see you smiling so much it lit up your eyes... If I could find ways to be that happy during a war, to the point that I almost forgot we were in one, imagine what it’ll be like now that it’s over?... For _all_ of us.”

He was looking at her so seriously, so lovingly. What could she ever have done to deserve this?

“Wow,” she answered quietly. “How’d you get so wise?” 

“When you have to make your weapons yourself you get a lot of time to think,” he laughed. 

She laughed with him, reaching up with her free hand to stroke his jaw. 

“Mmhmm,” she muttered, “sometimes I think you think _too much_.”

“Come onnn,” he teased, “you love it.” 

Glimmer was giggling now.

“Yeah! When you’re not fretting about everything,” she said.

“I’m not fretting now, am I?” he said, puffing out his chest, “I’m being very wise, and _stoic_.”

Glimmer was holding her stomach now, giggling uncontrollably. 

“You’ve... _*giggle*_ never been _stoic_... _*breathless giggle*_ in your LIFE, you _goof_!” she said, pulling a pillow out from behind her and swatting him with it.

“Hey!” Bow shouted, laughing harder. He grabbed the pillow off her and thumped her chest and stomach with it. Glimmer tried to grab it back, but he was too quick, and his longer arms were already shuffling it behind her out of reach. He used the distraction to lean down and steal a lingering kiss.

Their breathing started to calm. They looked deeply into each other’s eyes, smiling, rustled and out of breath.

“Well I’m definitely awake now.” said Bow.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to go back to sleep for a while, even if I calm down. That dream was a lot...” Glimmer added, frowning slightly. 

“That’s okay,” replied Bow, “we can just relax for a bit.”

He started fluffing and re-arranging the pillows behind her head, indicating that she should sit up. She did as he asked and took up a new position half reclined. 

Bow shifted so he was perched above her. Glimmer’s legs parted into a more comfortable position as he lowered himself down into her chest. She brought her knees up to tuck into his sides to hold him securely and protectively in place. She realised that in their current position she had Bow literally ‘between her legs’.

She was grateful in that moment that he couldn’t see her face.

“I'm not crushing you, am I?” he asked, starting to shift.

“No, this is perfect.” said Glimmer, pushing him gently back down.

“Mmmm, good.” said Bow, “you’re so soft, Glim.” 

They’d never laid like this before. It felt more intimate for her to be holding him this way. Like their bodies were one, tucked together like two wonderful, heavy puzzle pieces. And having him between her legs like this was giving her a lot of wonderful feelings. Loving, protective feelings. 

She would be perfectly happy if they could stay like this forever, she thought. 

They lay like that for several minutes. Glimmer looked serenely out the window at the stars, and Bow had turned his head to do the same. No matter how much time passed since she had activated the heart, she was still amazed to see the night sky speckled with twinkling lights. Glimmer finally broke the silence.

“Tell me about the stars.” 

Bow shifted a little to get a better view. 

“What did you wanna know?” 

“Did your dads tell you much about them growing up?” she asked. 

“Some yeah,” he said thoughtfully, “mostly constellations. I’m not sure how much I remember.”

She nuzzled her face into his hair and breathed him in.

“Try.”

From their position on the bed she looked out the window once more, and began listening to his soothing words.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fic I've written and published in 10 years. This is also the first fanart I think I have ever properly published.
> 
> Glimbow has really re-awakened something and I am so grateful for it. 
> 
> Shout out to the Glimbow discord server for welcoming me into your ranks :)
> 
> Kudos, concrit, and comments are all very welcome. 
> 
> Credits:
> 
> I realised after writing that some headcanon inspiration over Glimmer's 'freak out' was drawn from caramelaire's incredible piece 'ghost of you' also written for Glimbow week. I guess there is a little less destruction in this, but the thought was still there. Could be read loosely as an almost companion fic if you squint. 
> 
> Art inspired by a viral cartoon by artist D. Colà. 
> 
> The notes on the wall were inspired by tumblr discourse re: Glimmer coming home to find the apology notes from Bow. Yes, the brightest star does have angel wings because I am a monster. 
> 
> Full image can be found at https://www.deviantart.com/betterzoid/art/In-Our-Bedroom-After-the-War-849855010 or on my tumblr @klingonne.


End file.
